Travel Journal – Arrived in Hope Vale + Baron Gorge

So after a five hour drive (short by Australian standards I’m led to believe) we arrived in Hope Vale. We stopped once for fuel and once at Baron Gorge. I’ve included photos of the new manor-house and some photos from the top and bottom of Baron Gorge.

From the bridge at the bottom. Interestingly there was a “No Diving, No Abseiling” sign. Not something to worry about in the dry season, methinks.

Looking up the gorge

The bottom section of the falls

From the very top of the falls.

I was a little bit worried that a move of this scale would upset me somehow or make me anxious but I’m pleased to say that having spent a day unpacking, a day out visiting waterfalls and having met my future employer (hopefully) I’m feeling like this was absolutely the right thing to do. There are a few niggling worries but isn’t there always? Life’s looking pretty peachy about now.

I found that the multiflex pass I bought through STA travel, who organised my flights, isn’t 3 flight changes amounting to one full trip (Aus to Hongkong, Hongkong to London, London to Manchester) but is instead 3 full changes. I’ve rearranged my flights home for November and if I can afford the return flight to Australia I’ll be going home to see my family in Nov. If not – I’ve got two more date changes available to me. Bonus!

Here’s the new place:

This is what Aussies call a “Donga”. They just make these words up as they go, I’m sure.

But five hours IS a short drive in Australia. I’m a bit of a way from you, in that I live in the state of Queensland, about two thousand kilometres away. I remember when I first moved away from the madness of the metropolis and started life in rural Queensland. It took me a while to adjust my understanding of time and distance when speaking with the locals. Anywhere up to an hour’s drive was described as ‘just up the road’. A ‘bit of a drive’ was five or six hours. A ‘fair way’ would be the two thousand kilometres between myself and Far North Queensland. Make the most of the dry season!

I’m getting there. I think nothing of driving an hour to get to the IGA. Driving on dirt and HAVING TO drive slowly means that I’ve become a lot more stoic about long drives of necessity. Quite frankly – I’ve always loved driving and riding, being in transit for me is joyous from start to finish. It feels like pure possibility.

We’ve got a list a mile long to get done and seen this dry season, so don’t worry about us making the best of it :)